The Portal September 2016 | Page 8

THE P RTAL

September 2016 Page 8

Money Matters

Cyril Wood , the Ordinariate ’ s Finance Officer , explains that everyone needs to make sure their Will is in order , and the amount they contribute to the Ordinariate reflects their true financial position

expect that many readers will have already switched off as probably they are thinking “ nothing

I to do with me ” or “ what can I do about it ”. We are all used to the expression that ‘ the love of money is the root of all evil ’ which is of course true but perhaps we should also have in mind that ‘ money makes the world go around ’.

Members of the Ordinariate have a responsible part to play in making sure that the wheels of the charity are sufficiently oiled to make it work . First must come the vision , as surely fundraising will be easier if there is something to aim for .

We live in a sophisticated world and we can no longer , at least in the United Kingdom , erect a church building by merely digging the foundations , acquiring the materials and then constructing . The same goes for buying or being given a building where plans need to be made in order that the ongoing maintenance and day to day costs can be found .

generosity shown by others

The first five years in the life of the Ordinariate have seen great generosity being shown by non-Ordinariate persons with significant donations from the Papal Foundation , the Catholic Church in England and Wales ( CATEW ), religious orders and other charities and individuals .

The Ordinariate cannot expect to live on these as it has moved out of the initial phase . In order to survive it has to significantly increase the fundraising from its own resources and this would be helped by increasing the membership base .

support of clergy and formation

The big current costs of the Ordinariate are the support of clergy and the formation of men in training . There are modest amounts for administration and all of this has to be provided by the members . In addition to this , money needs to be set aside for ‘ pensions ’ and the care of clergy and families in sickness .

So what can be done ?

• Do you review the amount of your giving on yearly basis ?

• Have you singned a Gift Aid Declaration which increases your donation by 25 %?

• Are Gift Aid envelopes available for “ casual ” visitors in your Ordinariate group ?

• Does your group complete a Gift Aid Small Donation Scheme return for cash donations ?

• Does your group have Finance Committee ?

• Does your Pastor provide a summary of receipts and payments on an annual basis ?

• Does your group have a budget ?

• Have you made a will ?

• Is your will up to date and does it reflect where you now are ?

So please don ’ t leave this up to others . You had a vision when you signed up to the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham ; make sure that this is now reflected in your financial support .

Making a Donation to the Ordinariate

You will find full information about the different ways to support the Ordinariate financially :

• giving by Standing Order

• making a Gift Aid Declaration

• Making a Bequest

• Making a Secure On-line Donation

• Making a Donation by Cheque at www . ordinariate . org . uk / donate